Line Haul - Class Towboats

    Also called "POOL BOATS", rated between 1,800 to just over 6,000+ horsepower as  Single, Twin & Triple Screw versions.    And at onetime, did include a large "Quad Screw" in the late 1950's.    However, today there are no - Quads running, on our inland rivers and the last one, was the = "Joe Nutt, once called the Missouri."    Generally, Line Hauler's  are considered the smaller of the largest inland workboats.    Used throughout our inland rivers, except on the smallest river systems, due to their size.    You'll even see them sometimes working on the "Gulf Inter-coastal" Canal-way too.     A man-made inland body of water, dredged out along our southern shores, extending from Brownsville Texas, to Florida's - western coastline.    Then extending up along Florida's - Eastern coast to almost - New York City.    And over 65% of the products - we use in our daily lives, is transported by barge in some manner.    We depend on these boats - a lot more, then most realize, yet few people understand how different these boats - are, from the more commonly known - Tug.    In Fact, towboats are a whole different type of = Workboat!

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    The Ginger Cronnin - Running "Light Boat" ( "Without Any Barges = Tow" ), headed downstream on the upper Ohio.    This boat is a twin screw with 3600 horsepower, and has a 126' hull, built in 1993 by Jeff Boat - The Largest Inland Shipyard in the World.    Located on the upper Ohio at Jeffersonville Ind. this boat is just one of the newer designs this builder have produced recently, with a slightly different style from their normal designs.    Such smaller boats are designed to fit a growing need for "Mid-Sized Vessels", with the same abilities, as larger boats ....  ( Photo by Joe E. Brown )

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    The Queen City      This Line Hauler has - twin screws and its powered by a pair of V-16 "EMD" 645E2B engines, producing 5,600 horsepower.    Built by Dravo of Neville Island Pa. in 1973  and according to the IRR ( Inland River Record ), she has a hull measuring 140' x 42' x 12' overall drafts, and has Falkland Gear Reductions of 4.345:1 ratio, and is also equipped with Kort Nozzles.    The boat was originally named "Dixie Power" when it was owned and operated by Dixie Carriers Inc., of Houston Texas, until it was sold in 1988.    Then renamed by Midland Enterprises Inc. of Cincinnati Ohio, whom leased the vessel to "Inland Marine Service" of Hebron, Ky., where it continues service.     Photo by Wm. Zumwalt )

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LONG HAUL - Class Towboats

    The Big Boys - OF PUSH ... "Are the LARGEST", rated from 6,000+ to just over 10,500+ horsepower, built as Twin & Triple Screws.    As we said - above, these boats once included "Quad Screws" in this class too.    But sadly they were sold or scraped & gutted to be used in other ways.    So the last - Quad, was the old Joe Nutt, or Missouri as she was originally named.    And sold was sold to foreign interests, in the early 90's and today the modern triple screw, remains as the King Of PUSH.    Often seen shoving well over 50 barges - at one time, without any assistance on the lower Miss.    And when you consider  a barge, carries 1500 tons, these boats - shove tows of massive size.    But river conditions usually restrict - tow size.    But only on rare occasions, if conditions are right and traffic allows, do these boats = really push massive record tows!     ( See Below Photos  = For More Record  INFO.  )

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          The M/V "Cooperative Enterprise"  is an excellent example of a 9,000+ horse = Triple Screw.    Her engines can produce far much more horsepower, but they are turned down to save them.    Built in 1981 by St. Louis Ship, this "Long Hauler" like most of her types. works the lower regions of the Miss. River.    That means she usually stays below points - between St. Louis & the Gulf.      However, even as large as this boat is, at 200' x 54' wide, it still only carries a maximum of 9 foot draft, to the waterline on the hull.    Built to push - massive tows, she takes much from her grandparents, like the Steamboat Sprague.    Many of that old steamboats records, still stand today, and so-far as we know, have seldom been challenged.    Tows - can reach massive sizes - in tonnage, when you realize a single "Hopper Barge" carries 1500 tons, fully loaded.    And when numbers of barges - are lashed together, the average sized 15 barge tow, will carry 22, 500 tons.    And tows larger than this, usually between "Forty to Fifty Barges", means the tonnage can become Monstrous.   This means a its possible to see one of these boats = shoving a whopping 60,000+ tons - by themselves.    And that's commonplace - today, whenever the rivers allow such massive tows the space and water depth to travel our rivers.    But consider this, such massive tows, carry more then an average size cargo ship - can haul, often well over 6 times their cargo - In tonnage pushed = Ability!    ( Photo supplied by "John R. Miller" of Keokuk Iowa & Joe E. Brown )

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       The M/V Martha Ingram / formerly - Dick Conerly    Built by St. Louis Ship in 1978, is a triple screw of 10,500 horsepower.    This photo was taken by Joe Brown, near Ashland Ky. as she passed headed Northbound with a tow of 30 barges.    A rare site on the upper Ohio, because this tow was an experiment to see - if one large vessel, assisted by a smaller one, could handle 30 barges on the upper.    The smaller boat, lashed to side of the D. Conerly, was only used when going thru Locks & Dams, where it assisted by taking half of the tow ( 15 barges ), pushing them through,    Then once the entire tow was locked through, they were coupled together again to continue the trip upriver.    The experiment was a success, but was to costly, due to having to haul the 2nd vessel as a "Dead Boat", alongside for only limited use - at locks, which was wasteful expense.    NOTE - Midland was bought-out by Ingram Barge Lines in mid - 2004, and this vessel was refurbished by Ingram.    Now she's now named the "MARTHA INGRAM" and still running the lower Miss. River.    But she's received plenty of upgrades, and Ingram expects her to last many more years - in service.    So this vessels - life, has been updated to meet all present day marine codes and specifications.    And for a towboat built back in 1978, with 27+ years of service to her credit, she's going to be around a whole lot longer.    Further Note - its not unusual to find vessels with well over 50+ years of service, still in operation.    ( Left to Right = 1st & 2nd Photo by Joe E. Brown ..  3rd & 4th Photos by Anthony Van Cure at Ingram barge Lines at Paducah Ky. )

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      The "America"  ( Photos Left to Right - 1 - 2  by  Wm. Zumwalt / Dan Owen's - Boat Photo Museum & John Miller )She was located for many years, at Winfield Mo., below Lock 25 on the Illinois side of the upper Miss River.     Then around = Oct. of 2004.    Then was towed to Kampsville Illinois, where her new owners started converting her into a Bed & Breakfast, combination Hotel & Dinning Establishment.    

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     The Largest Towboat - EVER BUILT!    The M/V - United States is the older Sister Boat - of the America.    Both launched by St. Louis Shipbuilding in 1958 & 1959 respectively and are considered the Largest Diesel Boats - Ever Built.    Both vessels used the same hull design and differed only in some minor differences in where doorways and windows on their decks, were located, which is common to find.    Both were rated just over 9000+ horsepower, while the America when launched, could according to sources, get slightly more horsepower, because its engines were upgraded versions.    Each boat carried a total of 10 Rudders - in all, which sounds rather complex, but isn't when you know how they work.    And its commonplace to find for a typical twin screw, to carry a total of 6 rudders - in all.    So a Quad Screw, would naturally require even more rudders, to handle her massive power, but these boats - A Twin or Quad, steer and operate the same way.    ( Left Photo by the late "Capt. Jesse B. Marks, Master of the boat for many years for Federal Barge Lines.    Right Photo - Courtesy of the Waterways Journal Weekly, from a report in one of its old issues.    Note - FBL was another division of St. Louis Shipbuilding & Steel Co. and Captain Marks also was master aboard the smaller Quad Screw - M/V Missouri.    Sadly - I was just getting to know this fine man, when he suddenly took ill and passed away.    And I have always felt a great loss, because we became fast friends and I really loved to listen to his great stories and hear him tell about the river.   The wealth of knowledge and friendship - I lost, and his family & friends lost, Is Deeply Missed.

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    Worlds Largest - Inland Shipyard!   Jeff boat is located on the upper - Ohio at Jeffersonville Ind. on the  same spot of the old - Howard Steamboat Shipyards.    The company is the only one remaining of the "So-Called - Big 3" in towboat shipbuilding, which once included - Dravo & St. Louis Ship as the other two companies.    Now only Jeff boat - remains, to carry its fine tradition, as the Largest Inland Shipbuilder in the World!

    .... Actually this is the M/V "Miss Kay - D." with only 56 barges, passing "Mudd Island" at Memphis on May 7th / 1981, north bound.     To the average person, this looks like a record tow, and surely would be - to the average person.    But as Impressive as this tow - Is, its nowhere near record size and actually about average size, for towboats - like the Miss Kay - D.    Boats running below St. Louis to the Gulf of New Orleans, where the river is much wider and deeper.    Is  where these "Long Hauler's" - Roam, in a domain pretty much - all their own, but like any river,  filled with rocks, stumps, sandbars, high currents, and a twisting narrow coarse, even a snake couldn't follow.    Shoving barges in such narrow, shallow river channels, where no-other dares operate, this is the domain of the Towboat.    Running 24/7.... Rain or Shine!

    The IRR. ( Inland River Record - book ), says the "Miss Kay -D." was built in 1977 by Nashville Bridge Co., at Nashville Tenn.    Her hull is = 195' x 54' x carries a 12' draft. and she's rated at 9,000 horsepower, thanks to 3 = GM - model 645E7B engines, with Falk Gear reductions of 4.719:1 ratio.    She is also further  enhanced in power, thanks to being designed and equipped with - Kort Nozzles.    And the tow she's  pushing in the above photo ( Provided by Dan Owen's -  "Boat Photo Museum" ) ..... See My Workboat Links - Page for more on his photo source!

WORLDS RECORD TOW!

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    May 21, 1983 up-bound at Reserve, La., with 9 loads and 73 empties, plus the M/V DAVE CARLTON pushed - Dead Boat, your looking at the Record.     The Worlds Largest - rafted tow, heading north on the Mississippi with the "M/V Robert A. Kyle" doin the shove'n!    

     The "M/V Dave Carlton", which was the "Dead Boat", was an un-powered vessel without a crew and being delivered upriver, thus she was counted as a barge.    At this tows - Widest Points, its 385' in width, and approximately 1800' long, counting the Kyle's -own hull length too.   One of her barges, 200' x 35' x 12 foot drafts, so you can figure her crew - had a lot of walking to do, to check the tow.    But wait a moment, "They build boats well over 10,500+ horsepower in this class - Right! ..... "So this makes you wonder, just how many barges one of those boats - could really push?.... 90, or maybe 100+ barges, who knows?     Since towing companies don't do this sort of thing, anytime they like.    Its hard on the boat, the crews and pretty darn dangerous too.    But still, it makes ya wonder ...... ( Photo by Dan Owen = Boat Photo Museum ), "See My Workboat Links Page for his web link.

    The IRR = Inland River Record book ( Sold by the WJ = Waterways Journal )..... See Workboat Links Page ).... Give the following details on the "M/V Robert A. Kyle".    Built in 1982 by St. Louis Ship, Triple Screw with 9200 horsepower from (3) GM V-16 model 645E7B engines, and Falk Reductions of 4.535:1 ratio.    Her hull is 200' x 54' x 12' drafts, and equipped with Kort Nozzles and a total of ( 9 ) Rudders, meaning ( 6 ) Flanking Rudders, plus ( 3 ) Stern Rudders in all.    Operated by ( FBL ) = Federal Barge Lines of St. Louis, until sold Dec. 1984 to Midland Enterprises Inc. of Cincinnati Ohio.    Sold June 2003 to Ingram Barge Lines,  Nashville Tenn., where she continues to operate today.    Oh yeah, in case your wondering about the "Dead Boat", here's info on it too, from the IRR Book ...... "M/V Dave Carlton", twin screw ( 6 ) rudders, built in 1980 by St. Louis Ship with a hull = 170' x 45' x 12' drafts, rated 6140 Horsepower from twin GM V-16 model 465E7B engines, equipped with Falk reductions of 4.345:1 ratio, with Kort Nozzles.    Operated by ( FBL ) = Federal Barge Lines, St. Louis, until sold Dec. 1984 to Midland Enterprises Inc. of Cincinnati Ohio.    Sold June 2003 to Ingram Barge Lines, Nashville Tenn., where she continues to service.

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Last Updated On 06/29/23 . With